Senate vote on Clean Debt Limit bill will be VERY interesting

[cthulu2016]

Probably the most interesting event of this legislative non-process, so far.

Leaving aside the question why a timely, basic function of the USA sort of bill like raising the debt limit is subject to filibuster in the first place...

We will need 60 votes for cloture, so we need six Republicans, assuming Manchin votes with us.

What makes this such a big deal is that it would be very hard for the House to hang tough after the spectacle of losing six Republican votes in the House. That's 13% of the Senate Republicans—a substantial defection.

Senate Democratic leaders plan to advance a bill this week to raise the debt limit with no strings attached, according to multiple well-placed Democratic aides.

The move, first reported by the Washington Post, means Democrats are calling Speaker John Boehner's (R-OH) bluff after his office contended on Monday that a "clean" debt limit increase could not pass the Democratic-led Senate.

Senate leaders intend to begin the process with a vote to proceed to the bill late this week, said one senior aide. The aide said Democratic senators expect to be fully united and will likely need six Republican votes to reach 60 and break an inevitable filibuster.

"We'll be looking to the usual suspects," the aide said.

That's a reference to a contingent of Republicans, led by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who have worked with Democrats this year to pass immigration reform, break the logjam on presidential nominees and push for budget negotiations that GOP leaders have blocked.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/senate-dems-to-advance-clean-debt-limit-bill

[dkf]

1. Didn't they pass one of those already?

Why do they need another one?

[cthulu2016]

2. Debt limit?

[dkf]

3. You mean they haven't done anything on the debt limit yet? Nada?

[cthulu2016]

4. That appears to be the case

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

5. They're ahead of the House on this one.

[former9thward]

6. The Senate has not voted on the debt limit.

What is interesting is how much they will ask it to be raised. Neither Obama nor the Treasury Secretary has asked for a specific number. Normally the President asked for it to be raised to a certain point.

[BlueStreak]

7. I believe that is correct. The Senate passed a clean CR

but nothing on the debt limit.

[johnd83]

8. They should have the bill include a one year CR as well as a one year debt limit hike

doing this again in a few weeks is a terrible idea.